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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706503">Know</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue'>EzraTheBlue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Promnis Valentine's Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Dreams, Feelings Realization, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Visions in dreams, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:01:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dreams contain sense memories of one’s fated soulmate. Ignis has been dreaming of blue eyes and a smile as broad as sunshine was bright for as long as he can remember.</p><p>As for who that dream matches in the real world? Ignis has just been told, "you'll know," but does he want to? </p><p>(Day 1 of Promnis Valentine's Week: "Dream Come True")</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Promnis Valentine's Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Promnis Valentines 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Promnis Valentine's Week! </p><p>Special thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettArbuckle">Scarlett</a> for pushing this awesome little event.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Know</strong>
</p><p>
  <em> Eyes as blue as the dawn sky in the countryside. A smile brighter than sunshine. </em>
</p><p>Ignis had long heard the tale that he would know who was meant for him. The Gods would tell him, in the only way they could. His uncle had been rather vague on the details, but he had told Ignis: “You’ll know.” </p><p>Ignis wished he could know how he would know. He wasn’t sure he wanted to meet this person - he was ten, but he already knew his life would be dedicated to another - but he couldn’t help but be curious. </p><p>He wasn’t very much like anyone else his age, who did the Gods think could possibly suit him?</p><p>He got a more solid answer from someone closer to his age. He saw Gladio looking unusually tense one morning as he visited him in the training hall to review Noctis’ schedule. He watched as Gladio tore up his training dummy with his wooden sword, shoulders tense, eyes fixed. Ignis didn’t dare approach, but he faked a cough to get his attention. Gladio spun on him, irises blacked out by his pupils, and he hurried towards Ignis.</p><p>“Hey, can I ask you something?” He didn’t wait for Ignis to respond, but quickly whispered: “Have you had your Dream yet?”</p><p>Ignis blinked a few times. “I don’t believe I have - whatever do you mean?”</p><p>“The Dream!” Gladio threw a hand out and gripped his sword tighter in the other. “You know! Like, my Dad said that you have a Dream about the person you’re supposed to be with.” He bit his lip. “I think I’ve started having mine.”</p><p>Ignis’ eyes went wide. “It’s a dream, then?”</p><p>“What did you think it was?” Gladio raised an eyebrow, and Ignis crossed his arms.</p><p>“Uncle was not especially specific. He said I’d know.”</p><p>“Yeah, Dad told me it’d be like a dream, and you’d have it over and over until you figure out who it is.” He bit his lip. “I’ve been having this… this weird image in my head, every night for the last few weeks. And... I remembered it really well today.” He hesitated, chewing on his tongue. “I think I’m dreaming about a boy.” </p><p>“A boy?” Ignis frowned, then nervously extended a hand to touch Gladio’s hand. It might have been an issue with bloodline inherited titles, but rules were made to be broken. “I’m certain it’ll be alright. It’s who you’re meant to be with, yes?”</p><p>“I think so.” Gladio nodded slowly. “I hope my dad is okay with it. I guess I can figure it out, but…”</p><p>“What makes you so certain it’s a boy?” </p><p>Gladio chewed his lower lip for a moment, then muttered, “I keep dreaming about holding someone’s hands.” Gladio held his palms out. “Their hands are smaller than mine, but they’re all roughed up, and the fingernails are crooked. I dunno, I just, like, <em>know</em> they belong to a guy. And he’s wearing a wrist guard on one hand, like to protect his palm when he’s holding a sword.” He touched his left palm. “I can remember how the leather feels. I think, maybe it’s another soldier, someone else in the Guard or Glaive.”</p><p>“I see.” Ignis frowned, then clapped a hand to Gladio’s shoulder. “I hope they dream of you, too.” </p><p>“Yeah, I guess.” He furrowed his brow. “If you… if you see someone like that…”</p><p>“I’m afraid I finally understand my uncle.” Ignis finally let his face crinkle into a smile. He couldn't imagine what Gladio had actually seen in his dreams, how would he know? “You’ll know.”</p><p>Gladio had moaned in frustration, and Ignis finally redirected him to the business at hand for the day. </p><p>However, that night, Ignis had a strange dream, a vision that lingered with him: <em> Eyes as blue as the dawn sky in the countryside. A smile brighter than sunshine. </em></p><p>Ignis woke with an overwhelming sense-memory of that vision, that feeling, and the distinct impression that he wanted more of that sunshine sky.</p><hr/><p>For years, Ignis dreamed of the same blue eyes and broad smile as bright as sunshine. Sometimes, he felt like he’d been having the dream for longer than memories could reach. </p><p>Ignis thought for a while, that it may have been Noctis. He’d both recoiled at the thought, but entertained with morbid fascination. He studied Noctis for years, waiting for a glimpse of a smile that wide, to determine the exact color of his eyes. However, the shade of blue wasn’t quite right, and while Noctis smiled, those smiles were rare and subtle. They certainly were not what Ignis dreamed of.</p><p>Any thoughts that Noctis might have been meant for him vanished like a candle’s flame in a torrent during one of Gladio and Noctis’ training sessions. Ignis would never forget the moment Noctis knocked Gladio out of the ring for the first time, tumbling onto his back, then threw his practice sword down and ran to help him back to his feet. He took both of Gladio’s hands in his and pulled him up, and when Gladio got steady and looked down at their joined hands, he yelled and tugged Noctis closer, and Ignis saw Noctis’ spine go rigid at his touch. </p><p>“You finally realized?” He whispered, his small voice still so loud in Ignis’ ear, and Ignis forgot all of his curiosity for delight when Gladio embraced Noctis tight and Noctis fell into his chest.</p><p>However, it didn’t answer his own question. He still didn’t know where that sunshine smile would shine from, nor did he know when that light would touch him. </p><p>It was easy to romanticize it; the dreams felt so warm, so comfortable, like a blanket around his shoulders, familiar like the scent of his favorite soap. As Ignis got older, he felt a little more longing for someone who would understand him, someone who would want to fill some of his lonely hours. Someone who might share a cup of tea with him when he had too much work to do. Someone who would understand his passions. </p><p>However, as he came closer to truly being a man, as his hours became busier and busier with responsibilities for Noctis, as his burden weighed heavier, he began to wonder what sort of life this fated match would have with him.</p><p>Would he ever see him? Would his fated match get to spend his nights with him, share meals with him? Or would he spend more time looking at Ignis’ back than his face?</p><p>It was around Ignis’ seventeenth birthday he began to pity his fated one. They deserved better than him. Ignis hoped they never met, if only so his fated one wouldn't have to live with him as a soul mate.</p><p>Uncle tried to coax him through this: “The Gods know your circumstances, my dear; they wouldn’t match you with someone incompatible.” </p><p>Ignis tried to keep his eyes open around the Citadel for eyes and a sunshine smile like that, but everyone around him was just as dour and stressed most of the time. Ignis wanted that warm smile to alleviate his spirit, at least a little, but did he even deserve that? What could he possibly offer in return?</p><p>“Lots of things,” Gladio grumbled to counter one of Ignis’ laments. “You’re the smartest guy in the Citadel. You’re interesting.”</p><p>Ignis merely scoffed and pulled out his planner, wondering where he would find a place for that fated smile between his meetings and commitments. “How will my fated one ever know those things if I have no time for him?”</p><p>Ignis was resigned to it, in a way. If he never met his fated one, so be it. It wasn't as if he was the only person who never deciphered the dream, or met the solution. He once heard Nyx Ulric complain to Libertus Ostium that he had no idea where he'd meet a blonde girl in Insomnia. Cor Leonis, after listening to a group of Crownsguard soldiers comparing their dreams under their breath, shook his head and muttered about how pointless it was. Even bubbly, cheerful Prompto, Noctis' school friend, hadn't found the person who matched his vision.</p><p>Noctis did ask him once, when the two of them were playing games and Noctis was watching the clock for Gladio. "What's your Dream like?"</p><p>"Um. Weird." Prompto scrunched his nose. Ignis paused typing to listen, glancing around his laptop screen. "It's… it's really weird.” </p><p>“They’re all weird.” Noctis dug his elbow in on Prompto’s side. “But what do you see?”</p><p>Prompto made a nervous little noise. “I dunno, it’s… Like. I'm in a car? I think. I can feel the leather. And I feel the wind in my hair. Someone else is driving. It's nice. I'm happy." He shrugged. "Nobody I know owns a car though, especially not one with leather seats!" He shot Noctis a grin. "Except you, maybe, but I guess you're spoken for, right?" He returned his attention to the game. "You should still totally take me for a drive in your fancy car sometime, though."</p><p>Noctis had laughed: "Maybe when I can drive, but you'll have to sit in the back or Gladio might get jealous." Prompto had pouted, but then it was game time. </p><p>Ignis envied Prompto's happy little fantasy. He envied everyone who found their destiny. He was sure that whoever he dreamed of deserved better than him. Hopefully whoever had been designated would give up and settle with someone who didn’t have a match. The most warmth he could expect out of his life was in Noctis’ gratitude, and a fresh cup of coffee at two in the morning.</p><p>He was awake at two in the morning, helping Noctis finish a speech for the next day. Prompto had been there when Ignis had marched in at the dinner hour, interrupted their video game marathon, and pulled Noctis around to the table to set him to work. Ignis didn’t have the heart to send Prompto home, since he’d long since realized he’d be sending a teenager across the city to an empty house, and let him linger around, playing games on his phone as he waited with seemingly eternal patience for Noctis to finish, occasionally offering to bring them snacks or drinks. Noctis was half-asleep on the table, and Prompto was making a fresh pot of coffee while yawning. Ignis was absorbed in typing Noctis’ handwritten notes, and he hardly looked up when a fresh mug landed by his hand. </p><p>“Here, Iggy. You look like you could really use this.” He nudged the coffee mug against Ignis’ palm, and Ignis startled at the sudden warmth.</p><p>“Ah.” He took the mug, then faced Prompto. “Thank you.”</p><p>Prompto’s eyes glowed, luminous blue in the white light from the kitchen lamps, all lit up. "Anytime, dude! I'm always happy to help." He grinned, and suddenly Ignis felt warm from the inside out, as sure as if he were standing in the sun.</p><p>And <em> oh</em>, how warm and bright Prompto was, like sunshine in the middle of the afternoon.</p><p><em> Oh</em>, Ignis thought, and he <em> knew</em>. </p><p>Prompto, unassuming and accommodating. Patient, at least when it came to others. Conveniently in Noctis' personal circle. Used to long hours of loneliness (which Ignis had always intended to remedy). Sweet and handsome. </p><p><em> Oh, </em>Ignis thought, this moment stretching into eternity as he re-evaluated his life, what it would be without that sunshine smile in his life and memory, and what it could be if he stood and embraced it.</p><p>There had never been a choice. He knew now. It simply was, it was meant to be. He knew, he knew he had to reach out and embrace this.</p><p>His dream had come true. </p><p>(He would just have to find a warm afternoon to borrow the car, so he could drive into the sunset with Prompto and make <em>his</em> dream come true in return.)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Revised 2/25/19</p></blockquote></div></div>
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